Wisden - Whispering Death Whispering Death 1977 home Whispering Death One of the most enduring memories of the 1976 cricket season in England - for the spectators if not for opposing batsmen - was the graceful, rhythmic action of the West Indian fast bowler, Michael Holding. The speed which he generated from his deceptive approach to the stumps was, on occasions, frightening and, in association with Roberts, Daniel and Holder, proved a decisive factor in the West Indies' resounding triumph. It was a series filled with several outstanding individual feats, but none could quite compare with Holding's in the final Test at The Oval. On a depressingly lifeless pitch, the other fast bowlers of both teams could only take five wickets between them at a cost of 477 runs. Yet the conditions seemed to act as a catalyst which lifted Holding to an extraordinary performance. He proved that nothing could deter bowling of great pace and accuracy by taking eight for 92 in the first innings and six for 57 in the second. No fewer than twelve of his fourteen victims were either bowled or lbw, an accurate reflection of his speed and his consistent line.

Of all the great West Indian bowlers of the past, none had equalled this feat of 14 wickets in a Test. Holding's rise from the relative obscurity of Jamaica's Shell Shield team to the forefront of the game's finest fast bowlers was meteoric. A year before his Oval achievement, he had not played in a Test had not played in a Test and had taken a mere sixteen wickets in three first-class seasons in the Caribbean at the unflattering cost of 51 runs each. Yet his potential has always been undeniable and the West Indies selectors recognised it picking him in the seventeen for the 1975-76 tour of Australia, a choice for which they deserve the greatest credit. Since then, Holding has fulfilled the expectations of everyone who was predicting great things for him from his days at Kingston College in Jamaica. Born in the parish of St. Andrew, in Jamaica, on February 16, 1954, MICHAEL ANTHONY HOLDING was fortunate that his parents were keen sportsmen who encouraged him in all his sporting exploits.

His father, Ralph, a building contractor, playing club cricket to a good standard and has been President of the strong Melbourne Club - for which, understandably, his son has played since leaving school. Mr Holding senior was in Australia to watch Michael make his entry into Test cricket an, along with Mrs Holding, witnessed his Oval bowling. At school, young Holding immediately established his credentials as a natural athlete and he shone both at cricket and athletics. There is a strong tradition in both sports in Jamaica which, apart from its long line of great cricketers, has also produced such famous runners as Arthur Wint, Herb McKenley, George Rhoden and Don Quarrie. Fortunately for West Indian cricket, Holding's sports master at the time, Mr. Trevor Parchment, advised him to concentrate on that game. It was not long before the guidance was bearing fruit. By 1972, he was in Jamaica's team for the annual West Indies youth tournament and the following season came his first class debut. He made a name for himself in that initial year by clean bowling the Australian opening batsman Ian Redpath, cheaply three time sin four meetings. His development, however, was not spectacular.

His lean physique found it difficult to cope with the strain of fast bowling and he was troubled by illness and injury. Nevertheless, he was gaining size and pace all the time and, by the 1975 Shield season, confirmed reports from Jamaica that he was the bowler to partner Roberts for the series in Australia. In some quarters, Holding's selection, as one of five fast bowlers, was a surprising gamble. Even some of his team mates, who had not seen him nor played against him for two years, were astonished by his hostility in the opening game of the tour against a Colts team at Adelaide. When he won a close match against New South Wales almost single-handed by taking six for 60 his place in the Test team was assured. By the team the West Indies won the second Test at Perth by an innings, Holding taking four wickets in the first innings, the Australian wicket-keeper, Rodney Marsh, was speaking of him becoming one of the fastest bowlers of all time. Unluckily, injury ruled him out of the third test and, thereafter, he and his team deteriorated disappointingly.

Richie Benaud was of the opinion that he was a better bowler at the start of the tour than he was at the end and thought he was straining too hard for pace and bounce. In the series against India in the Caribbean which immediately followed, Holding took nineteen wickets in four matches and, on occasion, looked a truly great bowler. On others, however, he was again guilty of bowling too short with a corresponding loss of accuracy. It was a criticism which could have been levelled at him during the first half of the tour of England as well and it was probably a team meeting midway through the third Test at Old Trafford which finally put him right. He and Daniel had unleashed a volley of very fast, very short bowling against the veteran England openers, Edrich and Close, in the final hour and a half's play on the Saturday. Close took a few fearful blows, Holding was warned for intimidation and England closed the day without the loss of a wicket. It was, observed the West Indies manager, Clyde Walcott, bad bowling - and he obviously told Holding so. The effect was immediate. He pitched the ball right up on the Monday with telling success and the lesson was learned.

In the subsequent Tests, the bouncer was kept in reserve as a surprise weapon and Holding realized, as have all prosperous fast bowlers, that there is no counter to genuine pace and accuracy. Holding has been an irreplaceable acquisition to the West Indies. Not only has he proved a "lethal" bowler but a useful lower order batsmen and magnificent outfielder as well. His long, loping strides as he chases the ball make him a joy to watch. In addition, he is an intelligent young man who fits easily into any company. In fact, those meeting him for the first time find it difficult to reconcile the quiet mild-mannered individual they confront off the field with the fiercely competitive sportsman they see on it. His much-publicised display during the Sydney Test of the series against Australia when he wept publicly after having a caught behind dismissal refused by the umpire was indicative of his will to succeed., not of any weakness in character. His hostile bowling against India in the Kingston Test of that series when several batsmen were injured was influenced by the same spirit, not malicious intent.

Eminent fast bowlers throughout history have been in great demand and, in this age of jet travel, Holding can ask his price from the clubs of England and Australia, always so anxious to please their members and their sponsors. Already, he has received tempting offers, but he is anxious not to subject himself to the type of labour which could bring a premature end to his career and, so far, he has resisted them. As a computer programmer with the Jamaican Government, Holding will probably be one of the rare contemporary West Indian cricketers who does not play the game all year round in every part of the globe. Whether that is good news or not for opposing batsmen is debatable. They may confront him less often than they might some other fast bowlers but, when they do, he will be keen and fresh and that, on all evidence to date, is an alarming prospect. - T.C. © John Wisden & Co Michael Holding (Cricketer) - Pics, Videos, Dating, & News Michael Holding Male Born Feb 16, 1954 Michael Anthony Holding is a former West Indian cricketer.

One of the fastest bowlers ever to play Test cricket, he was nicknamed "Whispering Death" by umpires due to his quiet approach to the bowling crease. His bowling was smooth and very fast, and he used his height (6 ft 3Â½ in/1.918 m) to generate large amounts of bounce and zip off the pitch.… Read More related links West Indies Test Legend Holding Has Reward For Towner Bognor Regis Observer - Sep 12, 2013 ' MIDDLETON cricket coach Brian Towner has been recognised for outstanding services to grass-roots cricket by former West Indies player <mark>Michael Holding</mark>. ' Holding Calls For Broad Ban Over Non Walk Fox News - Jul 13, 2013 ' West Indies great <mark>Michael Holding</mark> has called for Stuart Broad to be banned from the second Ashes Test at Lord\'s after the England batsman refused to walk in the series opener. Broad had made 37 with England, then 297 for seven in their second innings on Friday\'s third day at Trent Bridge, when he edged teenage debutant spinner Ashton Agar.

The ball clipped wicketkeeper Brad Haddin\'s gloves and then flew to Australia captain Michael Clarke at first slip. Australia appealed... 'arrested Development' Movie May Not Happen Huffington Post - Jan 09, 2013 '\n \"Arrested Development\" fans have been looking forward to a movie after the long-overdue fourth season of the comedy airs on Netflix, but things might not happen exactly as they imagined. \n\n We\'ve known for a while that each episode of \"Arrested Development\" will focus on a different member of the Bluth family -- and now, we know why. \"Contractually, we couldn\'t use all the characters in every episode,\" \"Arrested Development\" creator Mitch Hurwitz told USA Today. \"The... Holding Underwhelmed By Pattinson Byron Shire News - Jul 11, 2012 'Fast-bowling legend <mark>Michael Holding</mark> says he wouldn\'t put his corn flakes down to watch emerging Aussie James Pattinson.' Learn about the memorable moments in the evolution of Michael Holding. CHILDHOOD 1954 Birth Born on February 16, 1954.

TWENTIES 1975 21 Years Old In late 1975 the West Indies team embarked on a six-Test tour of Australia. … Read More Earlier that year the West Indies had defeated Australia in the final of the inaugural World Cup, and the teams were considered to be the best of their day. Fast bowler Bernard Julien was out of form and his place in the team was given to debutant Michael Holding who opened the bowling with Andy Roberts. He picked up a groin strain in the second Test and bowled as fast as, quicker than Jeff Thomson, Australia's fastest bowler. According to Wisden in his debut series, Holding "had shown himself to be Roberts' natural opening partner and indeed was timed to be faster than Jeff Thomson, Dennis Lillee and Roberts", and considered that when West Indies captain Clive Lloyd chose to give Julien the new ball rather than Holding it was a mistake that cost the West Indies the match. Australia won the series 5â1, and though Holding's 10 wickets in 5 matches cost on average more than 60 runs each, Wisden believed that he had performed well enough to establish himself in the side and had the potential to bowl faster still.

Read Less Show Less The West Indies toured England in 1976, and though Holding was unknown in the country the British press picked up on his performance in Australia and there was a sense of anticipation about his bowling. … Read More An early psychological blow was landed by the West Indies in a warm up match against the Marylebone Cricket Club when Holding stuck Dennis Amiss on the head, leaving a wound that needed stitches. Amiss was a veteran player and likely to open for England in the forthcoming Tests and seeing him struggle against Holding's pace was a warning of things to come. In the lead up to the series England captain Tony Greig was confident of his team's chances, saying in an interview "I like to think people are building these West Indians up, because I'm not really sure they're as good as everyone thinks. You must remember, that the West Indians, these guys, if they get on top they are magnificent cricketers. But if they're down, they grovel, and I intend, with the help of Closey Close and a few others, to make them grovel." The comments outraged the West Indians, and to the team the use of the term "grovel" in particular "smacked of racism and apartheid".

Read Less After the 1976 series against England, Holding enrolled at the University of the West Indies on a scholarship to study Computer Science. … Read More As a profession cricket did not pay well, so Holding was preparing himself for employment off the cricket pitch. Read Less A shoulder injury sustained towards the end of the 1976 tour of England prevented Holding from joining the West Indies squad to face Pakistan in March 1977. … Read More During the series Lloyd approached Holding about a joining a World XI team captained by England's Tony Greig to play against Australia in World Series Cricket; there was still animosity between Greig and the West Indies players over Greig's comments before the 1976 Test series in England. The series was the brainchild of Kerry Packer after his television channel, Channel 9, missed out on the rights to broadcast Australia's home Test series. Players would be paid more than they had been before, and with his earnings from the series Holding was able to buy his first car and later a house. When it became public the Australian Cricket Board and England Cricket Board threatened to ban players taking part.

Packer responded to the pressure by signing the whole West Indies team to compete in the series alongside a World XI and an Australian team. Relegated to playing at football ground, the series suffered from poor crowds. The negative press surrounding the World Series â players were labelled mercenaries â bred a sense of camaraderie in the West Indies side, contributing to the team's dominance in the Test arena for years to come. Read Less 1978 24 Years Old In March 1978, after the first season of World Series Cricket, Australia embarked on a Test tour of the West Indies. … Read More Australia were severely depleted because the ACB refused to pick leading players such as Greg Chappell, Ian Chappell, and Dennis Lillee because they had played in the Packer series. Holding suffered a recurrence of his shoulder injury and so missed the series, but otherwise the West Indies began the series at full strength. Eventually external pressure on the West Indies Cricket Board (WICB) not to select players who played in the World Series resulted in three players being dropped and Clive Lloyd's resignation as captain. The rest of the team refused to play in protest and were replaced by second-choice players.

The second year of World Series Cricket was more successful than the first and matches were played in front of much larger crowds. Though contracted to last three years, the competition ended after two because Packer and the ACB came to an agreement regarding broadcasting rights. Read Less 1981 27 Years Old Holding was the bowler in what is often described as "the greatest over in Test history", which he bowled in 1981 in Bridgetown to English batsman Geoff Boycott. … Read More The first five balls increased in pace, causing Boycott to have to react very rapidly to avoid being hit. The final ball saw Boycott clean bowled, to the great delight of the crowd.<br /><br /> Holding opened the bowling with Andy Roberts in 33 Tests, and the pair claimed 216 wickets at an average of 25.27 runs each, making them one of the most successful new ball partnerships. Despite modest batting talent, he holds the record for the most sixes in a Test career for any player with fewer than 1,000 career runs. He hit 36 sixes in his Test career, placing him at 32 in the all-time list.

Remarkably almost a quarter of his Test runs came by way of sixes. Read Less THIRTIES 1988 34 Years Old Holding has written two autobiographies the first of which, Whispering Death, was published in 1988 before he retired and the second, No Holding Back, over 20 years later in 2010. … Read More After retiring from cricket Holding ran a petrol station in Kingston called "Michael Holding's Service Centre", employing several people who were members of Melbourne Cricket Club of which he was a member. The business was initially successful, though Holding found it stressful. Broadcasting began to take up more of his time, and while he was away the petrol station suffered so in 1995 he decided to sell. He also considered taking up umpiring, though not as a profession, and considered pursuing qualifications to umpire in domestic matches in Jamaica but his time was taken up with managing the petrol station and broadcasting.<br /><br /> Holding's career evolved after his retirement from active play. He had never aspired to becoming a commentator but was friends with a producer at Radio Jamaica who invited him to comment on cricket.

This led to him working around the Caribbean, but at this stage work was not regular enough to be his main source of income. Read Less 1990 36 Years Old Holding made his transition from radio commentator to television in 1990 when cricket in the Caribbean was broadcast on television around the world for the first time. … Read More Two local commentators were chosen and Holding was picked alongside Tony Cozier at the latter's recommendation. He became a broadcaster as a member of the Sky Sports cricket commentary team, as well as being a semi-regular member of the Channel 9 cricket commentary team in Australia led by Richie Benaud.<br /><br /> The ICC created the Bowling Action Review Committee (BARC) in 1999, and on the recommendation of the WICB, Holding was one of the founding members of the committee. The role of the committee was to monitor players suspected of throwing using various video replays. The process of assessing a bowlerâs action has since become more scientific with more technology used and though the committee disbanded in 2005 it was influential in the ICC establishing the 15 degree maximum for bowlers straightening their arms in delivery.

Read Less FIFTIES 2007 53 Years Old Even when working for the BARC, Holding was a strident critic of the ICC so in 2007 when he was approached to join the newly formed ICC cricket committee he thought a friend was playing a joke on him. Funny and quirky nicknames of cricketers - Sports Sports By midday online correspondent | Posted 20-Jun-2016 Now Available on the mid-day iOS App, Download Now Cricket has a rich tradition of using nicknames with some cricketers known more by their moniker than their actual names. On former cricketer Ramakant Desai's birth anniversary, here's a look at his and some other cricketers' nicknames Cricket enthusiasts... Think you know your game. But do you know who are the 'Muscles', 'Jumbo', 'Pigeon' or 'Monkey' of cricket? Well, read on to know more... Cricketers are known for the innovative strokes they execute; the different ways they work out to outwit batsmen and not forgetting the captains who spend every minute on the field finding the balance between attacking and conservative captaincy.

The willow wielders and leather-hurling personalities often come up with some smart nicknames for their teammates. The name-givers are not always known, but the names emerge all the same. Let's take a look at some of the most interesting of pet names alongwith their origins: Former Indian fast bowler Ramakant Desai, who was a specialist at bowling bouncers during his time, was only 5 feet and 4 inches 'tall'. This led to him getting the nickname 'Tiny'. Smartest nickname of all? Michael Holding Hear it from the man himself... former West Indian fast bowling great Michael Holding: "Dickie Bird, the umpire, described my run-up as 'Whispering Death'. I never carried much weight, was light on my feet, and I didn't pound the turf on the way in." In fact, Holding's first autobiography was entitled 'Whispering Death'. Glenn McGrath stayed a thin fast bowler throughout his career. He was called Pigeon because of his frame especially in the leg area. Glenn McGrath.

Pic/ AFP Anil Kumble was christened 'Jumbo' because of the way his deliveries took off with pace and bounce off the pitch --akin to a jumbo jet. Anil Kumble (left) is known as 'Jumbo and Sachin Tendulkar as Tendlya or Little Master Allan Donald, the former South Africa fast bowler and now a much sought-after bowling coach was called White Lightning due to his sheer pace. Andrew Flintoff is known as 'Freddie' or 'Fred' because of his surname's similarity to comic character Fred Flintstone. Aravinda de Silva used to play some shots, which either went over the fence or caused his dismissal. So, some smart guy started calling him 'Mad Max'. Ashley Giles, the spinner in England's 2005 Ashes-winning squad got the nickname of 'King of Spain'. No, he did not hone his skills in Spain but these were the words inscribed on merchandise mugs at the Warwickshire Club shop at Edgbaston. Should have been 'King of Spin.' Ashley Mallett, the former Australia off-spinner, who is an occasional MiD DAY columnist, was called Rowdy by his teammates.

Not because he was just that in the dressing room, but due to his quiet nature. Bill Lawry was known as 'Phantom' Bill Lawry is a voice heard in commentary during Test and one-day matches in Australia. "It's all happening at the Sydney Cricket Ground," one can often hear him yell. By the way, for those are not familiar with Bill Lawry's cricketing background, he is a former Australia captain. Lawry acquired the nickname 'Phantom' on his debut series in England, 1961. Our Australian informer tells us that it may have been fast bowler Frank Mission who gave him that name after he discovered Lawry's penchant for Phantom comics. Gavin Larsen, a faithful servant of New Zealand cricket, was nicknamed 'The Postman' by his mates because he always delivered. Graeme Smith hit the ball pretty hard so a fellow South African compared to him a buffalo which became 'biff'. Harbhajan Singh is known as Bhajji, but 'Turbanator' came into the picture (coined by the Aussies, it appears) when he troubled Steve Waugh's Australians in the Kolkata and Chennai Tests of the 2001 series at home.

Herschelle Gibbs, who made headlines with his controversial autobiography 'To The Point', was known as 'Scooter'. "When I was 16 and couldn't drive a car, the guys at Western Province joked that they would buy me a scooter," Gibbs revealed. Ian Botham is called Beefy Ian Botham is called Beefy. The answer comes from his frame. Beefy appeared on a range of frozen meat launched in 2001. James Hopes' lack of facial hair earned him the nickname Catfish because it sprouts like catfish whiskers. Jason Gillespie, the Australian fast bowler, who figured in the Indian Cricket League before making an appearance as bowling coach of Kings XI Punjab, is called 'Dizzy' after American jazz trumpeter Dizzy Gillespie. Kamran Khan, the fast bowler, who played for Rajasthan Royals in 2009, was nicknamed 'Tornado' by his captain Shane Warne for his slinging action and pace. Lasith Malinga, the Sri Lankan and Mumbai Indians pace ace, is called 'Slinga', which is a reference to his slinging action as well as his name.

Lance Klusener, the South African fast bowler is nicknamed 'Zulu' because he could speak the language fluently. Michael Clarke, who took over the Australian captaincy from Ricky Ponting recently was called Pup when he was the youngest member of the Test side. Mike Hussey is known as 'Mr. Cricket' because he is a good student of the game. Rahul Dravid is also called 'The Wall' Rahul Dravid was nicknamed 'Jammy' by some smart pal because his father Sharad worked for jam and syrup giants Kissan. Ricky Ponting has been called 'Punter' for long because he loves a bet. Not on cricket matches, it must be emphasised. In Tasmania, where he grew up, greyhound racing is a gambling sport which Ponting loved to indulge in. Shahid Afridi is named 'Boom Boom' because he goes boom boom with a bat in hand. Shane Warne had several nicknames apart from Warnie. He was called Suicide Blonde by his former teammate Greg Matthews after rock group INXS's big hit Suicide Blonde. He was also called Hollywood for his exciting lifestyle and good looks. Shaun Marsh is nicknamed SOS which stands for 'Son of Swampy'.

Swampy is his father Geoff Marsh's nickname thanks to the marshy connection to the surname. Steve Waugh was known as 'Tugga' which is a pun on tug of war (Tugga Waugh). He was also called 'Iceman' because he could perform under pressure Stuart Broad, the England fast bowler, is called 'Westlife' in the England dressing room for his boy band good looks. Stuart Clark, Aussie bowler, is called Sarfraz as his bowling style reminds teammates of former Pakistani paceman Sarfraz Nawaz. INDIAN CRICKETERS WITH INTERESTING NICKNAMES While Sourav Ganguly (left) is known as 'Dada', 'Dadi' and 'Prince of Kolkata', MS Dhoni is known as 'Captain Cool', 'MS', 'Mahi' or''MSD' Ajit Agarkar was called 'Bombay Duck', bequeathed him after a remarkable run of seven zeroes on the trot against Australia. Sourav Ganguly was affectionately called 'Dadi' by his team-mates.

Virat Kohli's Delhi coach Ajit Chaudhary gave Virat his nickname 'Cheeku' over his spiked hairstyle and it stuck. Venkatapathy Raju was nicknamed 'Muscles' because of thin frame during his playing days. Navjot Singh Sidhu was named 'Sherry' according to him because his father was drinking that particular product at the time of his birth. Anshuman Gaekwad was supposedly given the nickname 'Charlie' by Bishan Singh Bedi. The Army Mumbai club Dadar Union for whom the likes of Sunil Gavaskar and Sanjay Manjrekar played for, was known for their discipline. It was only fitting that some of their famous names had army-related nicknames. Dilip Vengsarkar was called 'Colonel', Suresh Tigdi was 'Major' and Vithal Patil was called 'Marshal'. Yuvi silenced? When Sachin Tendulkar celebrated 20 years of international cricket in 2009, Yuvraj Singh revealed that the master batsman was called 'Grandfather' in the Indian dressing room. When Tendulkar was asked about it, he did not appear livid.

He was not amused either. "I warned him to think twice before calling me grandpa because I have many names to call him in front of the camera," he reportedly said. Yuvi has been silent on that nickname since. All in place... Javagal Srinath was called Mysore Express Shoaib Akhtar... Rawalpindi Express Virender Sehwag... Butcher from Najafgarh or Nawab of Najafgarh Jonty Rhodes.... Maritzburg Mamba (for his sharp and electrifying fielding) Sanath Jayasuriya... Matara Mauler Kapil Dev... The Haryana Hurricane Sourav Ganguly... The Prince of Kolkata Initial utterance Abraham Benjamin de Villiers is known by his initials AB Kevin Pietersen... KP Yuvraj Singh... Yuvi Wonder why... ... English commentator David Lloyd is called 'Bumble'? Because his face bears some similarity to animation characters called 'Bumblies'. Animal Kingdom Kersi Meher-Homji (An Indian-born, Sydney-based cricket historian) Cricketers have strange nicknames. England's Albert N. Hornby was nicknamed 'Monkey' and was not offended.

He had played three Tests for England from 1879 to 1884, opening the batting with WG Grace in his final Test. He captained England in the 1882 Oval Test when the legend of Ashes was born. He had also represented and captained England in Rugby Tests. So one wonders what the hoo-haa was about Harbhajan Singh and Andrew Symonds in 2008. Thank goodness, IPL has united them, both playing for Mumbai Indians. Here are famous cricketers with animal/fish/bird nicknames. There were three Tigers: the great Bill O'Reilly, Ernest Smith (11 Tests for England in 1910s) and Mansur Pataudi (India's captain in 1960s and '70s). Mansur Ali Pataudi Now, for some seafood platter: Digby Jephson of Cambridge University and Surrey was called Lobster. Sir Henry DG Leveson Gower (three Tests for England in 1909) had the unflattering nickname of Shrimp.

Tall and slim Australian all-rounder Hunter Hendry (11 Tests between World Wars) was known as Stork. Then there were two Australian Test cricketers in the 1970s, Alan 'Froggy' Thomson and Bruce 'Mule' Francis. Joel 'Big Bird' Garner, the tall West Indian fast bowler, was nicknamed after a character in the children's TV serial Sesame Street and Clive 'Big Cat' Lloyd for his size and agility on the field. Aussie paceman Merv Hughes was aptly nicknamed Fruitfly because of his pestering habits! England's pace bowler Geoff Arnold was called Horse because of his initials 'GG', which is Cockney for horse. Australian spinner Bruce Yardley was Roo for his bouncing kangaroo-like approach to the wicket. And the eccentric English spinner, Phil Tufnell, went by the pet name of Cat. Michael Clarke was nicknamed Pup on his debut tour of India in 2004 by his team mates as he showed the enthusiasm of a puppy. Glenn McGrath was nicknamed Pigeon for his pigeon-toed bowling approach to the crease.

Pigeon flew away from the Test scene in 2007 and Pup grew up too and has now retired back to his kennel. (With inputs from Gulu Ezekiel and Shreyas Bhat) Tags: Whispering Death - Anxiety, Stress and Burnout Follow on Twitter Whispering Death - Anxiety, Stress and Burnout Stress, anxiety and burnout are in the news for all the right reasons, and also for all the wrong reasons. In November 2013 the English cricketer Jonathan Trott returned home early from the Ashes series in Australia with what was described officially as a ‘stress-related illness’. Many commentators assumed this was depression. In March this year the batsman gave an interview to Sky Sports in which he said that his withdrawal was due to stress, anxiety and burnout. This triggered another burst of commentary, with some, perhaps more cynical, commentators criticising him for coming home early from the tour, as if stress, anxiety and burnout is somehow a lesser condition than depression. The suggestion was even made that perhaps the England number three had come home early because he had been unable to cope with the pace of Australian fast bowler Mitchell Johnson.

I watched the interview Jonathan Trott gave to Sky Sports after they posted it in full on YouTube. The language he used in talking about his symptoms – including feeling confused, not sleeping, not having the mental or emotional energy to hold himself together – is consistent with a diagnosis of stress, anxiety and burnout, with anxiety perhaps being the dominant condition leading to the others. It is important to underline that stress, anxiety and burnout is not a lesser condition than depression – there is no hierarchy within psychological distress. I could use clinical and technical language to describe what happens when you feel anxious, stressed and close to burnout, but something more visceral is needed. From my own experience of the condition I would describe it as a ‘whispering death’. The anxious thoughts, feelings and sensations whisper in your mind until your confidence and resilience are literally dead. The famous West Indian fast bowler Michael Holding was nicknamed ‘whispering death’ by umpires because of his silent approach to the wicket as he glided in to deliver some of the fastest bowling ever witnessed. Anxious thoughts can wage a similar war of attrition on our ability to deal with our normal life, whatever that might be. The truth is that the cynics are wrong.

Jonathan Trott did not run away from the Ashes tour because the cricket got too tough. When you are stressed, anxious and close to burnout, things that you can normally do with your eyes closed you simply cannot face or do. For me, when I faced a similar experience in 2006, there was one Sunday when I simply couldn’t face preaching, and I had to ask someone else to step in. I also remember being at my son’s birthday party, which was at a swimming pool, and all I could do was sit in a chair in the café and shiver. I was unable to be part of my eight-year-old son’s celebrations. It seems that misunderstanding and stigma are still part of the experience of those who suffer from anxiety, as they still are for depression and other mental illness. This year the theme of Mental Health Awareness Week (MHA Week), 12–18 May 2014, is anxiety. One of the things they are looking to encourage is for people to tell their stories, to try and create informed, empathic awareness of this debilitating condition. The way Jonathan Trott’s story has been misinterpreted in some quarters encouraged me to write about my story again.

Anxiety is a complex condition which can have depressive elements, just as depression can include an anxiety component. It can leave you completely unable to function normally. My experience certainly included depressive elements. According to the Mental Health Foundation (MHF) which runs MHA Week, cases of anxiety are on the rise in the UK, with 8.2 million people diagnosed in 2010. The MHF are using MHA Week to help people understand the many positive ways in which anxiety can be managed and handled. One of the things I found difficult, until things became very acute, was to talk about it. Once I did, things improved. I also learnt about mindfulness, and this was one of the major factors that took me out of a bad place and put me in a good place. In fact, it has helped me to be in a better place psychologically than I ever was before. This included mindfulness for health that is found in secular psychology as well as the spiritual dimension of it within Christianity. Cricket is one of my favourite sports and I love watching it. I have always admired Jonathan Trott and seen him as a resilient, tough and reliable batsman for England.

Perhaps his most courageous battle will be to return to cricket having faced and overcome the ‘whispering death’ that is anxiety, stress and burnout. _______________________ Shaun Lambert is a trained counsellor and psychotherapist as well as being Senior Minister of Stanmore Baptist Church. The second edition of ‘A Book of Sparks – a Study in Christian MindFullness’ is published by Instant Apostle and is available online in paperback and electronic formats. This year the theme of Mental Health Awareness Week (MHA Week), 12–18 May 2014, is anxiety. Shaun Lambert, 15/04/2014 Read later: Copy-paste link Michael Holding, a former cricketer of the West Indian team, was one of the fastest bowlers ever who played Test cricket. Due to his swift yet silent bowling style, he was nicknamed by the umpires as ‘Whispering Death’. With a height of 6 ft 3½ in, Holding bowled in a flawless manner that produced quite a massive amount of bounce and zip off the field.

Holding made his greatest over in Test history in 1981 in Bridgetown where poor Geoff Boycott, an English batsman was clean bowled only after the first five balls as he was juggling to avoid being hit by the swiftly thrown ball. It was a spectacular sight and earned Holding much appraise by the crowd. In his Test career, he has the record for the maximum number of sixes in any Test career for any cricketer. With 36 sixes in his entire Test career, he is placed at 32 in all-time list even today as a remarkable feat, a quarter of his Test runs consisted of sixes by large. He claimed 249 wickets at an economy rate of 2.79 in the test cricket. In one day international cricket team, Michael Holding took 142 wickets at an average of 21.36. He took five four wickets hauls and one five wickets haul. In test cricket, Michael Holding claimed 11 four wickets hauls and 13 five wicker hauls. His status of being Whispering Death says a lot about his lucrative bowler for West Indian cricket team.

He was fearless and talented and really knew how to threaten his opponents. At present, he is regarded as one the most respected and wickets in honorable cricket commentators in the world, being a member of the Sky Sport cricket commentary team, Holding is a matchesster as well. Michael Holding is easily the name that falls with Malcom Marshall and Ambrose who defined fast bowling in their time. Michael Holding - YouTube Michael Holding Want to watch this again later? Sign in to add this video to a playlist. Need to report the video? Sign in to report inappropriate content. Rating is available when the video has been rented. This feature is not available right now. Please try again later. Published on Jul 11, 2014 Michael Anthony Holding (born 16 February 1954) is a former West Indian cricketer. One of the fastest bowlers ever to play Test cricket, he was nicknamed "Whispering Death" by umpires due to his quiet approach to the bowling crease. His bowling was smooth and very fast, and he used his height (6 ft 3 1⁄2 in or 1.918 m) to generate large amounts of bounce and zip off the pitch.

He was part of the fearsome West Indian pace battery, together with Joel Garner, Andy Roberts, Sylvester Clarke, Colin Croft, Wayne Daniel and the late Malcolm Marshall that devastated batting line-ups throughout the world in the seventies and early eighties. Early in his Test career, in 1976, Holding broke the record for best bowling figures in a Test match by a West Indies bowler, 14 wickets for 149 runs (14/149). The record still stands. During his first-class cricket career, Holding played for Jamaica, Canterbury, Derbyshire, Lancashire and Tasmania. In June 1988 Holding was celebrated on the $2 Jamaican stamp alongside the Barbados Cricket Buckle. Source : & Google image. Farewell to "whispering death" | Cricket | ESPN Cricinfo Farewell to "whispering death" Share on Facebook Share on Twitter Originally published in the Cricketer, January 1990 As England goes through its soul searching and packs its bags for the Caribbean tour, it might be of some consolation that its batsmen will not have to face Michael Holding this time.

Not that any member of the refanged West Indian pace pincer is to be taken lightly, but encounters with Michael in particular might be better off buried in the annals. In his five Test series against England, Holding captured 96 of his 249 wickets, and in addition produced two of the finest displays of fast bowling prowess. Back in 1974, the year before Clive Lloyd gambled by taking him to Australia, I remember chatting with him at a party in Kingston. On that chilly night in Hope Pastures, there was a mission in his penetrating stare and that baritone voice. "I want to be on that '76 tour to England", he confided. Not totally surprised, I enquired only about his stamina, not technique. "I am lifting weights at Mr. Goldsmith," came the response. I knew then that he was on his way. Indeed, he made that memorable trip, not as the inconspicuous rookie he had envisioned, but with 29 Test wickets from nine appearances. More importantly, he went with a reputation for pace that did not set well with frontline batsmen.

I first stumbled into this prodigy in the summer of 1964 at an unkempt ground just behind his Dunrobin Avenue residence in Kingston. Red Hill Oval as it was called, was more of a sociological garden than a nursery for the future West Indian player, so Michael paid more attention to the daily cross-strata expositions than he did to cricket. However, when called upon to play, the critique was always positive - lively pace, useful bat. Shortly thereafter, he began attending Kingston College High School. Even though the school boasted West Indian caps in J. Cameron, J. K. Holt, Jr., "Collie" Smith and Easton McMorris, cricket at the time was dwarfed by the successes both in track and field and soccer. In track, the school was just embarking on an extended dynasty, while in soccer, the 1964 and 1965 teams were arguably the best in the Caribbean. Michael's success at schoolboy cricket would just have to wait until 1970 when his team went undefeated to island supremacy. It was during my seven years at Kingston College that I saw him in the making.

If I awoke early enough, I could ride with him to school as his father's Chevy station wagon motored down Constant Spring Road. After classes, he seemed perennially to engage me in debates as to the shortest route on foot to cricket practice at the school"s Melbourne Park annexe. Occasionally on a Saturday evening, our paths would again cross on the environs of Maurice"s Restaurant. That was the place to savour a tasty curried goat or a fried chicken then wager the residual at "crown & anchor" - a game of chance. His preparation for the big leagues though, was undoubtedly fashioned at the Melbourne Cricket Club in Kingston. Under the tutelage of some former Jamaican representatives, he moved smoothly through all three levels of club cricket and, in 1973, into the national team. After two inter-territorial seasons, Clive Lloyd had seen enough. Tossing statistics aside, he summoned Holding for the '75-76 sojourn in Australia.

I can remember sharing that elation as his postcard from Brisbane read, "Don"t walk too hard, remember I am down here - Mikey." The tour was statistically unflattering and yet so embryogenic to West Indies' success as we know it today. Holding, understudying Andy Roberts, had to partner raw pace with subtlety in order to dislodge the likes of Redpath and Turner. As he would later put it, "In bowling to the big bats, line-and-length alone is no good. It's the variation that counts." His modesty wouldn't allow him to mention his pace, even though he was bettering the much feared Jeff Thomson at an estimated 97 mph. The next tour "Down Under", was to bring him probably his most satisfying reward - the first Test series win for West Indies there in six tries. In all, he would glean from Australia 73 Test wickets at 23 runs apiece and would leave us with some memorable duels against some eloquent batsmen. A connoisseur of batting technique, he still talks as if it were a great honour to have bowled to the two Chappells.

After the 5-1 drubbing, it was time to regroup against India at home. The humiliation had brought Lloyd's leadership to scrutiny, worse yet when the series came to Kingston still tied. Had West Indies lost that particular match, Lloyd might have been doomed. Well aware of the situation, Michael produced blistering bowling, forcing Bedi to wave in surrender to umpires Gosein and Sang Hue: in the second innings, five of India"s batsmen were "absent hurt." What impressed most though, was the poise. In school I had often "ribbed" him about his batting, only to see him play that nerveless 55 when it mattered. Both Bedi and Chandra, their reputations notwithstanding, must have found his innings a trifle irreverent. As for the job of getting opening batsmen out, to him, India proved most obliging. In the three Test series he played, Holding dislodged Gavaskar on 11 occasions and Gaekward on eight. One of the more memorable outings was at Sabina Park during the First Test in 1982.

Pandemonium broke in the second innings as with his opening delivery, coming over the wicket, Gavaskar's leg stump went cartwheeling. In spite of this success though, India were to inflict a major disappointment in snatching the 1983 World Cup. Like an axe to brush, it seemed so muscled a line-up would topple the 183 India had set. But alas Michael was left to signal the celebration - lbw to Amarnath for six. Nevertheless I will remember the level-headed conversation he entertained after that stunning defeat, a time when other cricketers may have been understandably unapproachable. It's now the summer of 1976 and on to the lush of England - for him the dream had come true. Even before the Duchess of Norfolk welcomed the part to Arundel, tales of his exploits in Kingston had washed ashore. The hosts were already scurrying for some brave men. The series belonged to the West Indies before the Fifth Test began at The Oval. The pitch there was so placid that both sides ledgered double centurions.

This was the setting that Holding chose to generate unbelievable pace to return match winning figures of 14 for 149. The press spewed superlatives. Heroics against England aren't over yet. Five years later the two teams again meet, this time in the Caribbean. It didn't seem that 13 years had passed since we were huddled over radios as Sobers trapped Boycott lbw for 90 in that Third Test in Barbados on the '68 tour. That same batting technocrat, now armour-clad, is still run-ravenous. He makes his way on to the same ground to open against the West Indies for the 46th time. Little does he suspect that the six deliveries he is about to receive from Holding will be dubbed by many as six of the most testing ever bowled. The resident second slip remembered the sequence: "The one that bowled him wasn't as quick, but the first five - good God." By the time England again visited in 1986, signs of Michael's departure were imminent. The left hamstring injury hobbled him in the Kingston Test and yet he limped past his truncated mark to treat the crowd to that patented glide one more time.

He knew for sure it was time to go. While the West Indian captain drew on his victory cigar, Holding begged to be excused from going on to Trinidad but asked to rejoin the tour in Barbados. The West Indies Board, however, publicly chose to dissuade his retirement. Resting him from the next tour to Pakistan, it included him for both the World Series in Australia and the Test series in New Zealand. Every sportsman it seems has a nemesis. From the onset, New Zealand was his. Anxious to return home after the historic win in Australia, the team detoured there to play three Test matches in 1980. Frustration - not entirely unprovoked, elicited his ill-temper in Dunedin. The hosts went on to eke out the series 1-0. With hindsight he might not have allowed himself to be lured back. This man is a true professional and does not pride himself in jobs abandoned. As fate would script it , his fitness failed in the First Test in Wellington in 1987. The 16 Kiwi Test wickets, in the end, cost him 34 runs each, a little more than his usual asking price.

Holding"s career has nevertheless been a remarkable one. It came along on the leading edge of the West Indies" newly found professionalism and enhanced pecuniary reward. In that same era, the territory's cricket weathered trying times as it ruddered through the Kerry Packer schism and South Africa"s tainted lucre lure, to emerge stronger. Clayton Goodwin is all encompassing in writing "Holding provided an unprecedented blend of skill, artistry, devastation, and technical perfection." To Holding the person, Dennis Lillee might be justified in writing "Many have probably looked for a way to dislike him, but it's impossible." As my acquaintance endures, I continue to esteem his independent thinking and straightforwardness. At Sabina Park we will certainly miss those stoic walks towards us, as we watch him eye the ball like a louped jeweller. All this before he turns away to transform that innocuous jog into that effortless sprint. But as the catching cordon prepares to rivet its attention, let me turn you over to those gallant warriors peering from behind their grilled masks. © ESPN Sports Media Ltd.

Michael Holding | West Indian cricketer | Britannica.com West Indian cricketer Alternative Titles: Michael Anthony Holding, Whispering Death Michael Holding Ricky Ponting Michael Holding, in full Michael Anthony Holding, byname Whispering Death (born Feb. 16, 1954, Half Way Tree, Kingston, Jam.), West Indian cricketer, a dominant fast bowler who starred on the powerful West Indian international team of the 1970s and ’80s. In 60 Tests he earned 249 wickets, and in 102 one-day internationals, he took 142 wickets. In 1981 Holding bowled what many cricket historians regard as the greatest over in Test history to English batsman Geoff Boycott. Holding, a super fast bowler, had one of the smoothest bowling actions ever; in fact, he earned the nickname “Whispering Death” because of his silent approach to the bowling crease and the venom he then released. He could trouble even the best batsmen with his steep bounce and intimidating pace.

A one-time 400-metre sprinter, Holding gathered pace from his long run-up and delivered with a classical, if slightly chest-on, motion. Holding made his Test (international two-innings, five-day match) debut against Australia in the 1975 series. His partnership with Andy Roberts became the foundation upon which the West Indies’ four-pronged pace attack (four alternating fast bowlers) was built. In a Test against visiting India in 1976, he knocked the “tourists” out of the series with a fiery spell as five Indian batsmen were forced to quit the game as a result of injury. He was also a hard-hitting tailender batsman who had six 50-run stands in Tests. He was selected Wisden Cricketer of the Year in 1977. Holding was forced to retire from International cricket because of hamstring and back injuries in 1987, having played for only 12 years. He went on to work as a popular TV commentator and was a member of the inaugural induction class of the International Cricket Council Hall of Fame in 2009.

Learn More in these related articles: Holding fears Test cricket 'will become insignificant in five years time' Holding fears Test cricket 'will become insignificant in five years time' Pin it Share Melbourne, Aug 25(ANI): Former West Indian fast bowler Michael Holding has said that Twenty20 format is causing irreparable damage to Test cricket, and reckons that his nickname 'Whispering Death' fits the future of the longest version the game. "I definitely fear for Test cricket. Test cricket may be around in five years time, but it will become insignificant, it will not be relevant," stuff.co.nz quoted Holding, as saying. "The Twenty20 format is not good because you cannot produce good cricketers from Twenty20, but also because it is so highly biased financially," he added. He further highlighted that cricketers now want to play Twenty20, as it can earn them more money that four or five years of Test cricket. "If I was a young man today, I would want to do that myself. I might get 100,000 dollars to go and play six weeks in India - done," Holding said. "I don't blame the cricketers, I blame the administrators," he added.

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Question: Which former West Indian fast bowler was nicknamed Whispering Death?
Answer: Michael Holding